Bail-fastening device



Aug. 14. 1928. 1,681,049

H. H. RENFROE RAIL FJ XSTENING DEVICE Filed Sept. 29. 1927 a g ;NVENTOR A I W Patented Aug. '14, 1928.

rarsnr esr HENRYH, RENFROE, OF, ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA.

RAIL-FASTENING DEVICE.

Application filed September 29, 1927. Serial No. 222,870.

This invention relates to rail fastening devices, and is more particularly concerned with a device adapted for use with railway tie plates or other stationary part of a road bed supporting a rail to prevent the longitudinal movement or creeping of the rail caused mainly by the tractive friction of car and engine wheels.

The standard forms of suchtie plate 111 use, have usually a retaining flange at one side against which one edge, usually the outside edge, of the rail base bears, this flange usually being notched to receive retainlng spikes. At their inner sides, these tie plates have appropriately spaced and shaped openings to receive spikes whose heads will be positioned to overlie and take position over the edge of the lttll base when dr1ven into the tie through the plate openin The spike openings of such standard plates provide, normally, a slight clearance between the spike face and theedge of the rail base, such as will permit of the insertion of athin plate or bar between the face, of the spike and this edge of the rail base with the outer edge of the spike opening engaging the spike, causing the inner face of the spike to appl pressure to such an interposed plate. The rail fastening device of the present invention is designed to be interposed between the spike and the rail edge in this manner and provides inclined forming wedges cooperating with the opposite edges of the spike to oppose creeping of the rail in either direction. by the use oi such a device, the strain of anchoring the rail is distributed equally to the dilierent ties of the track,and the disclosed Wedging action retains the unitary nature of the track structure against disruption by uneven strains and pressures against ditterent ties. A preferred form of this anti-creeping device and its application to a tie plate and rail is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: i

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail and tie plate with the spring bar, or plate of the present invention applied,

a Figure 2 is a top plan view ofthe parts shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure t is a fragmentary vertical section on the line H oi Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a detail view of the sprn'ig plate in perspective, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a modified form of the end structure of the spring bar or plate.

As shown, the rail 1 is supported upon a tie 2, resting upon the usual tie plate 3 seated on the tie. This tie plate has the usual base engaging flange 4 which in the form shown is notched to receive spikes 5 driven into the tie with their heads clinched over the edge oi the rail base. The flange t is customarily located at the outside edge of the rail.

The spring bar or plate of the present in vention is applied at the inner side of the rail, preferably, and is sized to permit one bar to be utilized with each tie fastening spike. The bar, indicated generically at 6 is of spring steel, preferably, and presents opposed wedge shaped portions 7 and 8 intogral with each other and joined at a central apex portion 9, from which the sides of the bar at its inner and outer faces taper reversely to term the wedge portions. The height of the bar intermediate of its ends is such as to bring it below the plane of interference with the underside of the spike head. In other words, this portion. of the bar will be of a height approximating that of the edge of the rail base. The extremities of the bar 6 are formed with upwardly extending portions 10 which, as shown in Figure 6, may terminate a substantial distance above the top edge of the rail base to retain the bar in engagement with theet oi the rail despite poor road maintenance, resulting in the lifting of the rail from its plate, and which may additionally have inward extensions 11 to overlie the top face of the rail base. This added feature while very effective to retain the bar in cooperative relation with the rail edge in the event of substantial separation of the rail base and tie plate, may be dispensed with and the upward extension 10 (Figure 6) only be used. This l st named construction makes for economy and the extent of the upward projection of its portions 10 may be such as to adapt the bar to all standard sizes of rails, the thickness of whose base edge naturally varies.

Iii

The space between the extremities of the bar may vary, although the preferred and most effective form will have the proportion approximated by the relation thereto of the spikes 12 shown in the drawings, although naturally I do not desire to be limited in this respect.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that when the bars 6 are applied to the edge of the rail base and the spikes 12 are driven into the tie and over the edge of the rail, the inner faces of the spikes will. engage the opposite sides of the apices 9 of the outer bars and will force them inwardly, flattening the bar against the edge of the rail and exerting thrust against the rail transversely of the track, thereby increasing the force by which the opposite edge of the rail is gripped by the edge of the spike and tie plate flange 4t. At the same time, apex 9 at the outer face of each bar is moved inwardly thereby decreasing the angle formed by the reverse tapers at the outer face and increasing these tapers, so that as will be seen from Figure 2, oppositely inclined wedging surfaces 13 and 14 are presented which cooperate with the opposite edges at the inner face of the spikes l2, and will resist lengthwise creeping movement of the rail in either direction.

The small cost at whichthese devices may be manufactured makes their use feasible on every tie and will result in uniform distribution of anchoring strains through the road bed, thereby providing and retaining smooth track surfaces. The form in which the invention has been described; as embodied and the material thereof, while preferable, may be varied and I do not desire to be restricted thereto, except as may be necessary by reason of the prior art and the specific language of the appended claims.

v Having described the invention, what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a railroad rail and a stationary part of the road bed supporting the rail, of an anti-creeping device of spring metal comprising a bar having both inner and outer faces reversely tapering to a thin central apex point with the central line of the inner side of the tapering portions normally alining with the central apex portion, and means on said sta tionary rail-supporting part engaging said apex portion to flatten and press the inner face of the bar against the edge of the rail base thereby increasing the angle of taper of the outside face of the bar and presenting opposed wedging surfaces cooperating with the bar engaging means to resist creepin of the rail.

The combination with a railroad rail and a rail tic plate supporting the rail, of a spring metal bar formed at opposed wedges integrally joined at a central apex portion to present inner and outer faces reversely,

tapering to a. thin central apex portion with the center line of the inner side of the wedges normally alined approximately with said apex portion, said apex portion being forced inwardly by the pressure thereagainst of an applied tie plate rail. fastener to flatten and press the inner face of the bar against the edge of the rail base and to increase the angle of taper of the outer face of the bar to provide wedgiug surfaces at opposite sides of the plate fastener resisting creeping of the rail. in opposite directions.

3. The combination with a railroad rail and a rail tie plate supporting the rail, of a spring metal bar formed as opposed wedges integrally joined at a central apex portion to present inner and outer faces reversely tapering to thin central apex portion with the center line of the inner side of the wedge; normally alined approximately with said apex portion, said apex portion being forced inwardly by the pressiiu'e thcreagaiust of an applied tie plate rail fastener to flatten and press the inner face of the bar against the edge of the rail base and to increase the angle of taper of the outer face of the bar to provide wedging surfaces at opposite sides of the plate fastener resist-ingcreeping of the rail in opposite directions, said bar adjacent to its opposite ends having upward extensions.

i. The combination with a railroad rail and a rail tie plate supporting the rail, of a spring metal bar formed as opposed wedges integrally joined at a central apex portion to present inner and outer faces reversely tapering to a thin central apex portion with the center line of the inner side of the wedges normally alined approximately with said apex port-ion, said apex portion being forced inwardly by the pressure thcreagainst of an applied tie plate rail fastener to flatten and press the inner face of the bar against the edge of the rail base and to increase the angle. of taper of the outer face of the bar to provide wedging surfaces at opposite sides of the plate fastener resisting creeping of the rail in opposite directions, the bar intermediate of its ends terminating below the line of interference with the tie plate fastening, and having adjacent to its opposite extremities upward and inward extensions to overlie the top of said base.

5. An anti-creeping device for railway rails of spring metal and formed as a bar having its inner and outer faces reversely tapering from a central thin apex portion.

6. An anti-creeping device for railway rails comprising a spring metal bar forn'ied as opposed wedges integrally connected at a thin central apex portion and with the central line of the inner side of the wedges normally aligned approximately with the central apex portion.

7. An anti-creeping device for railway rails comprising a spring metal bar formed as opposed wedges integrally connected at a thin central apex portion to present inner and outer faces reversely tapering to the apex portion, and having upward extensions adjacent to its opposite ends.

and outer faces reversely tapering to the apex portion, and having upward extensions 15 adjacent to its opposite ends, with oiisets thereon to overlie the top of the rail base.

HENRY H. RENFROE. 

